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NEW ADS, ENDORSEMENTS AND POLLING: Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund Announce More Than $1.5 Million Investment in Virginia, New Round of Endorsements and Polling 

9.22.2023

New Ads Launching As Part of Seven-Figure Effort to Elect Gun Sense Champions

New Polling Shows 81% of Virginia Voters Say Gun Violence is Important Issue When Voting

RICHMOND — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund announced a more than $1.5 million paid media campaign in Virginia for the 2023 elections. The effort will focus on highlighting Virginia MAGA Republicans’ opposition to common-sense gun safety laws and the extreme guns everywhere agenda they will push should they flip the Senate and retain their majority in the House. The ads will run across digital platforms in targeted battleground districts. 

Everytown for Gun Safety has invested millions in Virginia in recent years – outspending the NRA by 4:1 in 2019, when the House of Delegates and state Senate both flipped to gun sense majorities for the first time in nearly 25 years. The General Assembly then passed a suite of gun safety reforms, including legislation to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and landmark legislation expanding background checks. 

“Our polling confirms that the overwhelming majority of Virginians are looking for candidates who will fight to keep our schools and our communities safe,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “Everytown is making sure voters know that Virginia’s recent gun safety victories would be at risk if MAGA Republicans take total control of Richmond.”

WATCH “MAGA AGENDA” HERE

WATCH “LEADING CAUSE” HERE

As a part of today’s announcement, Everytown released a new poll in Virginia showing the power of gun safety for voters. A full memo is available here, and key findings show that the vast majority of Virginia voters say gun violence is an important issue when voting. Everytown is also mobilizing its grassroots army of hundreds of thousands of Virginia Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action supporters to communicate directly with voters about the stakes on gun safety in this election.

As part of this effort, Everytown is also announcing endorsements for candidates in key battleground legislative seats and down ballot races in targeted localities.

Virginia Senate

  • Schuyler VanValkenburg (SD-16)
  • Clinton Jenkins (SD-17)
  • Aaron Rouse (SD-22)
  • Monty Mason (SD-24)
  • Joel Griffin (SD-27)
  • Danica Roem (SD-30)
  • Russet Perry (SD-31)

Virginia House

  • Josh Thomas (HD-21)
  • Travis Nembhard (HD-22)
  • Rob Banse (HD-30)
  • Rodney Willett (HD-58)
  • Joshua Cole (HD-65)
  • Kimberly Pope Adams (HD-82)
  • Nadarius Clark (HD-84)
  • Karen Jenkins (HD-89)
  • Phil Hernandez (HD-94)
  • Michael Feggans (HD-97)

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors

  • Juli Briskman (Algonkian)
  • Sylvia Glass (Broad Run)
  • Puja Khanna (Dulles)
  • Laura TeKrony (Little River)

Loudoun County School Board

  • April Chandler (Algonkian)
  • Anne Donohue (At-Large)
  • Erika Ogedegbe (Leesburg)

Prince William County Board of Supervisors

  • Kenny Boddye (Occoquan)
  • Deshundra Jefferson (At-Large)

Prince William County School Board

  • Adele Jackson (Brentsville)
  • Shantell Rock (Woodbridge)

AD TRANSCRIPT: “MAGA AGENDA”

His name might not be on the ballot this November…

But his agenda sure is.

Because if we elect Lee Peters, 

MAGA Republicans could have total control in Richmond,

and pass an extreme abortion ban.

No exceptions for rape or incest.

And make it easier for violent criminals to get guns.

No questions asked.

That’s the MAGA Republican agenda.

And the only way to stop it in Virginia…

is to stop Lee Peters.

AD TRANSCRIPT: “LEADING CAUSE”

After years of mass shootings…

And school shootings…

Gun violence is now the leading cause of death amongst kids in our country.

And MAGA Republicans like Danny Diggs aren’t doing anything to stop it.

In Richmond, they opposed background checks on all gun sales…

And opposed a ban on assault weapons…

Making it easier for violent criminals to get guns

And putting our kids at risk.

Danny Diggs’s extreme agenda makes us all less safe.

Paid for by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund.